Shiloh Rifle Forums

Hello everyone,

I got into the BP shooting game a few years ago. I am definitely still a beginner. My uncle has gotten me started and its a blast shooting with him and picking his brain. He started me out on 45-70 and 50-70 pretty much strictly using Goex 2f and 20:1 Alloy. In the three years since, I've acquired several more BP rifles, (3 Cody Ballards and 4 more Shiloh's). I've got 38-55 (Wyoming Armory 1885), 32-40 and 38-50 RH (this is a Cody Ballard Switch Barrel set), 40-65 (Cody Ballard), 45-70 (Shiloh), 45-90 (Shiloh 16 lb), 45-110 (Cody Ballard Pacific), 50-70 (Shiloh), and 50-90 (Shiloh). What I'm wondering is if there are powder/alloy combinations that would be a good place to start with some of these calibers? The only ones I've shot a lot of so far are the 45-70 and the 50-70 (both Shiloh 1874s with 30" barrels). The 2f and 20:1 seem to work well in those rifles. There are so many combinations possible I don't know where to start when it comes to the trial and error method. Thanks!

That question will yield 100 different opinions. For me...I change my alloy hardness on a few different factors. Hunting, 40:1 usually because of my bullet profile/large meplat or round nose...will flatten out some on impact with bone/hide/flesh. Generally in the 1,100 fps range. Casual shooting in the 1,200 fps range at targets I use 20:1 alloy as long as my bullet profile isn't too pointed. For long range competition using my Money bullet profile in the 1,300 fps range I use 16:1 so I don't get any nose deformation and for my .45 2 7/8" I shoot 11:1 paper patch in the 1,400 fps range. I don't use real hard alloy because of gas cutting. My opinion for what it's worth.
Dennis

20-1 will cover just about everything.
16-1 is best in the long pointed bullets used in the long range contests, and it works well when loading the wcf cartridges in Colts and Winchesters.
IMHO.

Don McDowell wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:13 pm 20-1 will cover just about everything.
16-1 is best in the long pointed bullets used in the long range contests, and it works well when loading the wcf cartridges in Colts and Winchesters.
IMHO.

X2


matt